MAY 2020 ISSUE NO. 364 The Ithai Barrage of Manipur: To Decommission or Not JAYA THAKUR ABSTRACT The Ithai Barrage impounds the Manipur River just below the confluence of the Imphal River and the Tuitha River south of Loktak Lake, and is part of the Loktak Hydroelectric project that supplies hydropower to the seven Northeast states. Over time, the dam has affected the hydrology of the lake and caused harm to the ecology and economy of the region. The Manipur government is now urging the Centre to consider decommissioning the barrage. This brief assesses the present condition of the Loktak lake and the hydroelectricity project to arrive at a policy recommendation on whether or not the Ithai Barrage should be shut down. Attribution: Jaya Thakur, “The Ithai Barrage of Manipur: To Decommission or Not,” ORF Issue Brief No. 364, May 2020, Observer Research Foundation. Observer Research Foundation (ORF) is a public policy think tank that aims to influence the formulation of policies for building a strong and prosperous India. ORF pursues these goals by providing informed analyses and in-depth research, and organising events that serve as platforms for stimulating and productive discussions. ISBN: 978-93-90159-10-9 © 2020 Observer Research Foundation. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, copied, archived, retained or transmitted through print, speech or electronic media without prior written approval from ORF. The Ithai Barrage of Manipur: To Decommission or Not INTRODUCTION potential for hydropower generation and agricultural purposes,6 including providing In August 2017, the N. Biren Singh irrigation for a culturable command area of government in Manipur wrote to the union 24,000 hectares.7 The barrage has brought government seeking a review of the Loktak about drastic changes in the Loktak Lake’s Hydropower project and removal of the Ithai hydrology, with locals and environmentalists Barrage.1 Nothing like this has ever been repeatedly raising concerns over the project’s done in India—the country does not have a adverse effects.8 history of systematic dam decommissioning due to ecological concerns. The chief minister’s letter to the Centre followed two other official comments on the Political decisions are often driven more dam. On 12 June 2017, Manipur’s Principal by popular sentiments and less by a careful Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) wrote consideration of scientific evidence. Popular to the union environment ministry asking views, in turn, may be guided by immediate for the constitution of an “expert committee goals and not any long-term vision beyond the to carryout environmental assessment of fulfilment of these objectives. Any decision the Ithai Barrage (Coffer Dam) of the Loktak must thus be adequately assessed on short- Hydro Electric Project.”9 Manipur’s joint and long-term impact before it goes into secretary for forest and environment sent a action. This allegedly did not happen with second letter to the Centre on 24 June. the Loktak Hydropower project and Ithai Barrage according to accounts that have been This brief makes an assessment of made by the local community2 who point to the current condition of the lake and the the neglect of certain red flags in the Detailed hydroelectricity project to evaluate if the Project Report.3 demand for decommissioning the Ithai Barrage is justified. The brief first studies the Optimally using the waters of the Loktak Loktak Lake and the links between ecology Lake—a Ramsar site4 since 1990—has long and livelihood in the area. It then assesses the been discussed. Studies on water resource impacts of the project on the lake, as well as management and flood control at the lake, concerns related to the removal of the dam. which is situated inside the Imphal Valley, have been conducted since the 1950s.5 THE LOKTAK LAKE In a bid to hasten regional development, the Loktak Hydropower Project, with an The Meitei word Loktak means “where the installed capacity of 105 MW (three units of streams end/meet.”10 The lake has great 35 MW capacity each), was commissioned socioeconomic and cultural importance in in 1983 under the state-run National Manipur and plays a key role in the region’s Hydroelectric Power Co-operation. The ecological and economic security. Loktak, Ithai Barrage was constructed to impound the largest natural freshwater lake in the water in the Loktak Lake and harness its northeast, is considered Manipur’s lifeline.11 2 ORF ISSUE BRIEF No. 364 MAY 2020 The Ithai Barrage of Manipur: To Decommission or Not Among Manipur’s long chain of hills lie Ikop Pat in Khangabok; Utra Pat, Kharung, a few saucer-like basins. These basins often Loukoi Pat and Isok Lake in Bishnupur contain a wetland (or pats, as they are known district; and Pairen Pat and Lamphel Pat in locally12) or lake in the middle that play an Imphal West are some of the important pats important role in the drainage of the basin. in the region.13 Figure 1: Location of the Loktak Basin and the Ithai Barrage Source: Author’s own ORF ISSUE BRIEF No. 364 MAY 2020 3 The Ithai Barrage of Manipur: To Decommission or Not The Loktak Lake is situated in such a The lake drains through the Manipur River, basin. In 2002, about 385 square kilometres a trans-boundary water body between India of the Loktak basin was found to be covered and Myanmar that joins the Chindwin river, by pats,14 the largest and the most important a tributary of the Irrawaddy. The Loktak basin of which is the Loktak Lake. The lake has an and the Manipur basin are thus part of the area of 287 square km.15 It absorbs floodwater larger Irrawaddy basin.19 during the monsoon, and its water is used for agriculture during dry seasons. It provides Of the lake’s 980-square-km direct valuable ecosystem services to the region, catchment area, 430 square km are under such as water, food, fodder, fuel, timber and paddy cultivation, 400 square km are under other wetland products, as well as supporting forest cover, and 150 square km are inhabited. many species of flora and fauna. It also has The elevation varies from 780 m at the great cultural value—the Loktak Lake is foothills adjoining the central valley to about considered a mother goddess in Manipur.16 2068 metres above mean sea level.20 The oval-shaped lake is 26-km long and Loktak Lake is primarily fed by eight main 13-km wide, with an average depth of 2.7 rivers—the Imphal, Iril, Thoubal, Kongba, metres. The southern part of the lake has 14 Heirok, Sekmai, Nambul and Khuga. Many hills of varied sizes and elevations that look smaller rivers and rivulets from the Western like islands, the most prominent being the sub-catchment also drain into the lake (see Sendra, Ithing and Thanga.17 Figure 2). Drainage However, in the last two decades, the Heirok and Sekmai rivers have been Loktak Lake has a centripetal drainage isolated from the lake through engineering system. All the major channels in the basin interventions and diversions implemented by drain into the lake. The Loktak basin is a the state government. The rivers and rivulets sub-basin of the Manipur River basin, with a from the Western sub-catchment flow directly direct catchment area of 980 square km and into Loktak, while the Imphal, Kongba, Iril, an indirect catchment of 7157 square km.18 Thoubal and Khuga join the Manipur River. 4 ORF ISSUE BRIEF No. 364 MAY 2020 The Ithai Barrage of Manipur: To Decommission or Not Figure 2: Drainage of the Loktak Basin with the Ithai Barrage Source: Author’s own, based on Chabungbam Rajagopal Singh, Hydrological and Hydraulic Modelling for The Restoration and Management of Loktak Lake, Northeast India: PhD Thesis, University College of London (2010) and Google Earth ORF ISSUE BRIEF No. 364 MAY 2020 5 The Ithai Barrage of Manipur: To Decommission or Not Precipitation in August and lowest in December (see Figure 3b). The November to April period Rainfall in the basin follows the usual is mostly dry. Before the Ithai Barrage was South Asian monsoon patterns. The constructed, the variation in rainfall was monsoon season begins around mid-May, reflected in the natural rise and fall of the with the area receiving its highest rainfall lake surface. Figure 3a: Average Annual Rainfall in the Loktak Basin Source: Author’s own, based on Chabungbam Rajagopal Singh, Hydrological And Hydraulic Modelling For The Restoration And Management Of Loktak Lake, Northeast India: PhD Thesis, University College of London (2010)21 6 ORF ISSUE BRIEF No. 364 MAY 2020 The Ithai Barrage of Manipur: To Decommission or Not Figure 3b: Average Annual Rainfall (Monthly) in the Loktak Basin Source: Author’s own, based on Chabungbam Rajagopal Singh, Hydrological And Hydraulic Modelling For The Restoration And Management Of Loktak Lake, Northeast India: PhD Thesis, University College of London (2010)22 The phumdis The locals have depended on the phumdis for generations for a variety of bio-resources, A unique feature of the Loktak Lake is the such as wild edibles, medicine, fodder, fuel and floating islands made up of heterogeneous raw material for handicrafts. A 2013 study of masses of soil, vegetation and organic matter the phumdis identified 27 edible species that (in various stages of decomposition), locally are part of the local communities’ traditional known as phumdis. They vary in size and food preparations.24 The staple diet of the thickness and occupy about two-thirds of people living in the region is indigenous sticky the lake. The southern portion of Loktak rice, which is accompanied by a vegetable Lake has a continuous phumdi that forms the prepared from phumdi vegetation.